# How long to keep digital hygrometer in humidor for best reading?



## AceRockefeller (Aug 11, 2013)

Hey all, i just got my first humidors from CI, i bought 2 separate humidor/sampler deals at unfreakingbelievible prices as well as about $100 worth of other cigars. Anyways I thought it would take like 2 days to season a humidor but some sources say a few weeks as well. In 1 humidor i have 2 84% humidity packs & a shot glass with distilled water. The other i have a 250 count crystal humidifier and a basic foam humidifier. Anyways i am in the process of calibrating my 1 digital hygrometer, when finished i want to use it with both humidors to make sure they are both seasoned. How long should i let the hygrometer sit in each humidor to get the most accurate reading?

Thanks for your help.


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## JustinThyme (Jun 17, 2013)

To check for seasoning I first let it overshoot as what you will be reading is the air not the wood.
When done remove everything from the humi and leave the hygro in for 48 hours untouched. Then you will have what point the wood is at. If you are within a few points then put your humidification media in and load it up.

Do yourself a favor, remove that shot glass, dump the water from it, fill it with a nice stout belt of your elixir of choice and down it. IMO one of the silliest ideas ever introduced. It doesn't have much surface area and you risk spilling it and warping the wood. 84% packs will work plenty good enough and if that doesn't suit you then a clean unused sponge dampened with DW and placed on a saucer or baggie to keep it off the wood has far more surface area to release the moisture.


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## Fuzzy (Jun 19, 2011)

@JustinThyme is spot on about the shot glass! Use it for drinking.

If you are going to use anything other than Boveda packs, you should probably get a hygrometer for each storage unit.

When you spend money for cigars, it is not wise to cut corners on your method of storage. I know you would not buy more beer than would fit in your cooler or more food than what would fit in your fridge so it would spoil and be thrown out.


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## piperdown (Jul 19, 2009)

It can and will take up to a couple of weeks to season a humidor. Even longer if the seal on either humidor is not so good.
The wood takes a long time to absorb rH and the rH has to be higher in the air than in the wood for it to work. 
As the others have mentioned, get rid of the shot glass, get another hygro and make sure both are calibrated, and leave the humis alone for two weeks and then evaluate.

You can store the cigars you purchased in zip lock freezer bags for a while to hold rH. Just keep them out do direct sunlight or in areas that are warmer than the rest of the house. Alternatively, you can pick up a cheap airtight Tupperware container to hold the cigars for the short term.


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## Milhouse (Oct 22, 2011)

respectfully disagree. the shot glass method worked well for me. 

but i do not think he was asking how you season a humidor. he was asking how long does it take for a hygrometer to get an accurate reading.

i would say 2 days. i would also say just get a second one hygrometer. i like having a hygro in each box. i calibrate them separately, and use them to not only monitor the humidor, but to monitor eachother


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## AceRockefeller (Aug 11, 2013)

Thanks guys, i will be getting a second hygrometer, but in the meantime will leave it in each humidor for 2 days


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## Nature (Jul 30, 2012)

The hygrometer should give a pretty good indication of the humidity within a few hours. Now, getting a stable humidity may take less or more time. Other factors at play such as humidor seal, how long it is left open, how full it is, how much and type of humidity regulation set-up.

If you want to just get a quick reading to see where your seasoning process is at, an hour or two should be good.


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